Electric switch



Dec. 26, 1939. M. s. ALCRAN ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed April 2l, 1939 INS UL 0 TIO/J lNvENToR ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC SWITCH Mateo S. Alcoran, Honokaa, Territory of Hawaii Application April 21, 1939, Serial No. 269,248

f 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an auxiliary ignition system for motor vehicles and has for an object to provide an emergency ignition system and novel switch means for disconnecting the existent ignition system and connecting the emergency system when the existent system is incapable of starting the motor by reason of a defective coil, defective condensers, pitted ignition points and other causes.

l0 A further object is to provide a novel switch means in which thesliding circuit closing member for disconnecting one ignition system and substituting the other system is releasably held in either oi its two operative positions by a ball stop carried by a pressure plate which urges the ball into selected sockets in the member, pressure being applied to the pressure plate through the medium of two strong springs which carry no part of the current.

A further object is to provide a system and switch of this character which will be formed of a few strong simple and durable parts, which Will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in View the invention consists of certain novel details oi construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modiiications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specication,

Figure l is a plan view of a circuit selector switch constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the switch taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Q Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical connections of the existant ignition system, and the auxiliary ignition system, and showing the system selector switch for changing from one system to the other.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, a changeover switch is shown comprising a casing ID having a panel II of di-electric material closing the top thereof.

A circuit closing member I2 formed oi a single sheet of di-electric material if mounted to slide longitudinally in the casing and is provided with a grip I3 which projects through an opening I4 in one end wall of the casing. A pressure plate I5, also preferably formed of di-electric material is mounted in the casing to move toward and away from the circuit closer and is urged toward the circuit closer through the medium of a pair of strong helical springs I6 which are mounted in the casing below'the pressure plate, and carry 5 no part ofthe current.

A ball Il is received in a socket I8 formed in thetop face of the pressure plate and is interchangeably received in a pair of sockets I9 and 2B formed in the bottom face of the circuit clos- 10 ing member I2. The ball forms a stop to yieldably hold the member in either of its two circuit closing positions.

The casing itl is provided with a bracket 2|, through the medium of which the casing may be 15 mounted upon the head of the vehicle motor, instrument board, or other desired location.

The panel is provided with nine terminals, arranged in rows transversely of the panel, designated from I to 9. The panel is also provided 20 with an additional terminal 22 which is connected to the terminal 9 through the medium of a resistance coil of wire 23 adapted to permit current flow of about live to seven amperes when a Model 'I' Ford coil 24 is used in the emergency 25 ignition system.

Three bridging contacts 25, 26 and 21 are disposed longitudinally of the top face of the circuit closing member I2 and are secured thereto by respective screws 28. These contacts are prefer- 30 ably in the form of leaf springs which are bowed upwardly toward the panel II and are reversely bent at the tips as shown at 29 in Figure 2 to engage in concave seats 3U formed in the terminals. 35

These bridging contacts are of such length and are so spaced that when the circuit closing member i2 is disposed at its inner limit of movement in the casing, the contact 25 will bridge and connect the terminals 2 of the intermediate row and 40 I of the first row, the contact 26 will bridge and connect the terminals 5 of the intermediate row and 4 of the rst row, and the Contact 21 will bridge and connect the terminals 8 of the intermediate row and 'I of the yrlrst row. When the 45 .circuit closing member I2 is disposed at its outer limit of movement in the casing the bridging contacts 25, 26 and 21 will be disconnected respectively from the terminals I, 4 and 1 of the rst row and will be connected to the terminals 3, 6 50 and 9 of the last row, and to the terminals 2, 5 and 6 of the intermediate row.

In wiring the device the three Wires 3l, 32 and 33 from the existent ignition coil 34 are connected respectively to the terminals I, 4 and 'I of the first 55 row. The three wires 35, 36 and 31 from the model T Ford coil are connected respectively to the terminals 3, 6 and 9 of the last row of terminals. The battery 38 is connected by a wire 39 to the rst terminal 2 of the intermediate row. The center contact 4U of the distributor 4I of the existent ignition system is connected by a Wire 42 to the center terminal 5 of the intermediate row. The nal terminal 8 of the intermediate row is connected by a wire 43 to the side terminal 44 of the distributor.

When the circuit closing member I2 of the changeover switch is at its inner limit of movement to connect the terminals of the rst and second row as previously described, the existent ignition system will be operative. When the circuit closing member I2 is at its outer limit of movement in the casing to connect the iinal row of terminals with the intermediate row of terminals, as previously described, the emergency ignition system, including the model T Ford coil 24 will be operative. In either of the two circuit closing positions of the circuit closing member I2, the pressure plate, urged by the strong springs I6 behind it, frictionally hold the ball in the respective vsocket I9 or 20 in the circuit closing member and positively prevent dislodgment of the circuit closing member due to vibration or other causes.

In operation to change from the existent ignition system to the emergency ignition system it is simply necessary to grasp the grip I3 and pull sliding the member, a pressure plate mounted in the casing to move toward and away from the member, a pair of helical springs mounted in the casing and urging the pressure plate toward the member, there being a ball forming a stop received in a socket in the top face of the pressure plate, there being sockets in the bottom face of the member interchangeably receiving said ball to yieldably hold the member in either of two circuit closing positions, stationary switch contacts on said panel projecting through the bottom face of the panel and having concave seats in their bottom faces, and bridging switch contacts carried by said member having reversely bent terminals adapted to be interchangeably received in said concave seats.

MATEO S. ALCORAN. 

